On The Same Page
by LionDuckling
Summary: After having a real bad day before, Misa's sour mood carried on to the next day and then was eventually directed towards Rin for always slacking off and being too lazy on his way to become an Exorcist. Yukio was caught off guard at hearing her words and listened on as his brother was talked to. In a way, do her words hold the truth in them? (YukioxOC)
1. 1 Arguments to Understandings

Slight relaxing winds blew throughout True Cross Academy and those who happened to be outside on this calm day were enjoying the good times just passing on through.

All those who were out there on this very fine day were either walking on by through the beautiful courtyard or even way more beyond what you could see past the view of a simple limited windowpane, the students of True Cross were having fun spending time with their peers on this weekend. All the students were calmly passing the time meanwhile keeping all of their smiles up making the sunny day seem even brighter.

The kind of atmosphere everyone was giving off could make just about anyone feel the need for a real big smile too... Yet besides all of that, inside a certain old boy's dorm a bit on the far off side of the school campus, otherwise abandoned, there was a single occupied room with three students of True Cross Academy as well who were in a very tense atmosphere contrasting drastically what lay outside on the other side of the window instead. It seemed that the sun's bright rays were promising to have no bad weather for anyone who was outside, the skies very clear and as blue like a new crayon, although for inside that very room was real stormy and the atmosphere was quite bad so it really looked like the sun's rays aren't reaching them at all. In there stayed twin brothers and one of their great friends who was visiting them at the time. This place right here is where the story starts.

\- Misaki Kasumi POV -

"Rin!", the voice of Yukio interrupted the still silence, "Wake up and finish your homework, you haven't even got anything good done yet and it's all due next Tuesday."

Rin jumped up from his too short a nap in surprise from when his brother called his name. He rubbed his eyes and fully picked up his head from the desk and stretched his arms out while still seated. He let out a loud yawn and looked at the half finished work on his desk, lazily done so far by the way.

"Ah, geez Yukio... You've had me sit here wasting my time for like two hours already, I'm booorrreeed! I don't know how you keep this up, all this annoying paperwork..." Rin sighed.

I was sitting on the floor with a few piles of books surrounding myself right beside Yukio's bookshelf on the other side of the room from where the brothers currently were who were at their desks. I was here to find someplace quiet away from the noisy dorms and to study yet I found myself in a place not so quiet and shook my head at the displeasure of this realization.

Not feeling all too well, slightly off, even a bit dizzy, and certainly not in the best mood at the moment either, I was somehow able to hold back and not throw a book at the back of Rin's head for being really lazy on his work for Cram School again. He still hasn't got himself together the whole time he's been at this school.

It seems my bad mood covers over that slight dizzy feeling I've been feeling today lately?

I should be used to it, their arguments, having known them both for a while by now but it just isn't my day at the moment. This isn't the first afternoon in that I've came across the occasional 'Homework' conversation between the twins either but it certainly didn't help my foul mood any better to go through this for the hundredth time now.

"Quit complaining Rin, the work Mr. Tsubaki assigned the class is not that hard. You're wasting your own time. Including mine, with that useless complaining again." Yukio said.

In attempt to not react on my mood and explode in annoyance towards Rin, I turned the page in the book I was reading to stay somewhat distracted, to only to that single book in my hands and nowhere else. At least I was trying to do that to some degree but it was getting more difficult to with those two being like that, of all times and in my kind of bad mood too!

All day yesterday with a headache and a lack of decent sleep makes any person easily cranky in a moment such as this.

"Hey, it's not that it's hard but more that it's boring! I work way better on the field than behind a desk all day hanging around dusty old books for hours on end. When will I go on a mission already?! Ugh..." Said Rin while twirling his pencil with his right hand leaning back on his chair which only made Yukio sigh.

"Well, missions are for the teacher to decide and since I'm your teacher, I decide you aren't ready. You can't even spare five minutes to finish your homework, let alone classwork, so why should you be allowed to go along a mission with a group of people who DO complete their work? You'll only hold them all back. Just because we're siblings doesn't mean you'll get it any easier than the rest of the students working hard to earn their ranks." Yukio explained.

I stayed on the ground silent but I realized that pretty soon this argument is just going to really escalate unless they calm down now. I noticed that their tones in talking to each other was growing heated into an argument already as it had in the past before too.

The book in my hand went ignored into fully paying attention to what they are arguing on and it seems likely how they might try an attempt to fight when it gets that far. I'm annoyed even more in seeing how simple it can be fixed should Rin just do what he was asked to do in the first place, how everything will still end up as a waste of time if this continues at this rate.

"That's not fair bro! You can't judge how I fight demons based on paper and pencil work! Whatever... I don't need to waste five minutes on this, I can finish a demon in about three!"

"Rin, you've just been lucky so far, you even don't get the whole idea of what's out there and you're trying to tell me you can gank them so easily all the same? You don't even know what you're talking about, seriously?" Yukio questioned.

Rin faced his brother now with an expression of having been real insulted by that last comment. Yukio still checking over the last test the Cram School students took, grading them all carefully.

"You think you're all so cool or some big shot around here cause I'm just on a Page level so far or something?"

"That's not true! But you might as well be a Page the rest of your life if you can't finish simple work-" Said Yukio yet interrupted.

Rin slammed his fist on the corner of his desk making Yukio turn his way from the papers looking up and seemed highly annoyed as well all towards his older brother. It startled me too and I watched the two of them to see what's going to happen. The first to start standing up from his chair was Rin.

"Again with the homework Yukio? You really sound like that old fart all the time now talking like tha- Oof!"

At that time, without saying a word, I slammed my book to the floor and stood up to stand between Rin and Yukio who were about to get in a fight of fists from the looks of it with their hands curled up ready to punch. Before Rin had finished his sentence I had swung my left arm and slapped him strongly across the face so hard when he did stand up that he stumbled backwards against his chair and fell to the floor on his back a bit dazed on what just happened. Quickly Yukio stood up to hold me back with his hands holding my arms at my sides. Silence then filled the room for a long moment before Yukio broke the silence first.

"M- Misa?! What was that?"

"Heh, not much Yukio. What does it look like I did?" I said sarcastically.

"Well, it looks like you had just slapped my brother and it doesn't look like you even tried to hold back!"

He looked really shocked at what I just did with his mouth slightly agape.

"You know he had it coming. And what do you mean because not too long ago YOU were going to punch him into that said "Next Tuesday"! I was just faster to react."

"That might be true but-"

Stopping him there I interrupted him quick. I spoke on a low voice and in a tone to let him know I was serious. Rin starting to move awake from his daze.

"Once I heard him start to mention your father, that's when you two really fight so don't try to say you weren't, okay? I know you two." I said.

He looked away and sighed realizing that I was right. Yukio stood behind me still holding down my arms on my sides. We both now stood at some distance in that he took me a bit away from his older brother.

As Rin moved getting up, he held his palm against his burning right side of his face where I struck, he faced me still on the floor now sitting completely up criss crossed rubbing his cheek slightly.

"Geez Misaki! Why the left hook? What gives?!"

"If you don't want to feel the burn on the other side of your face then quit being so lazy and get to being serious with your assigned work!" I told him.

Rin moved to start getting up to clear the dust and dirt off his clothes and sit back on his chair with the usual bored expression he's reserved especially for sitting at any kind of desk with work waiting to never be completed, the one expression all of his classmates knew well. His mood changed from before now that I joined in, less angry not used to arguing with a girl.

"That's what that was for?! Well okay, I said I was going to do it eventually anyways... Eventually." He rolled his eyes as he said that and let out a big sigh.

Turning away to start laying his head down on his desk on a position to nap, if I wasn't being held back when I jumped forward a bit just now then I really would have been able to complete that last statement.

I sighed and calmed myself down a little, violence won't really help here. Looking behind me to let Yukio know it was okay to let me go now, I turned my head but he actually did the same. Just then we realized how close we were, his green eyes looking into my light brown. I felt my face get warm and felt my heart beat slightly faster in this sudden moment.

"Oh, uh... Are y-you okay now... Misa?" He asked, flustered at the sudden closeness.

"Sorta now... Um, y-yeah... Yes." I struggled to get out.

I cleared my throat a moment later and he let me go and jumped a bit back waving his arms in front of me and was apologizing to me.

"Sorry! Forgive me! Did I hurt you grabbing you like that so suddenly?"

He bowed slightly towards me to apologize.

"Nah, it's fine Yukio, really. If you didn't react how you did just now then I could've added another punch or two!... But um, stay close because I can't promise I'll not hit him again if I feel he still needs it."

I turned back around to face Rin who still had his head laid on his crossed arms on the desk, probably already in dream world asleep by now.

Yukio nodded and brushed some of my long elbow length straight dark brown hair out of the way to place his right hand on my left shoulder as we still were standing up in place but with Yukio still behind me just in case I got angry at Rin again.

"Listen Rin, you don't get it do you?" I asked.

He sat up from his nap he was starting to doze off into and moved to face me after I asked him that. He moved a hand through his hair and groaned.

"What do you mean? Even you talking about the darn homework Misaki?" He asked me yet with less attitude compared to asking the same question to Yukio.

I paused for a second to get my words in order into a way that he can understand.

"Rin, it's not just the homework. I mean the classwork, to pay attention, taking good notes, to ask questions, to not fall asleep on your brothe- I mean your teacher for every class he works hard to prepare over time he could might as well use to sleep instead, for you to study when you aren't asked to study... It's not just the homework because I'm bringing in everything from all of your Cram School days that I've seen so far."

He took a second to answer back.

"Why bring up everything? I'm not the worst student this school has seen and I think school is going by just fine." Rin said slightly taken aback at what I said.

"Really? Well I mean of you ask me I say you could do better than that... Anyways, okay then, so how about then I start wording this all differently?" I said thinking aloud.

Taking a few seconds to look around in the room I finally laid my eyes on the half finished homework paper that was pretty much the source of everything on this moment.

The words started to come into an idea and I'll definitely start off with that: How Rin values the lives of the people around him. No matter who they are to him, he places the safety of their lives over his own when he fights against an enemy.

"Hmm, you see that piece of paper in front of you?" I started.

He glanced over to the sheet of paper confused with an eyebrow raised and looked back at me.

"Yes of course, where are you going with this?" He asked me.

"That isn't a piece of paper." I answered.

He looked at me as if I was crazy.

"Um Misaki? I think you might want to find Yukio's eye doctor and start to consider some glasses because the last time I checked, even you said not more than like ten seconds ago it was a simple sheet of paper and nothing else."

"The thing is Rin, no it isn't and you want to know what I mean by that?" I asked.

"Well, don't rush to get to the point or anything, but you aren't making any sense." Yukio said.

I turned to look at him with an eyebrow raised.

"Haha, very funny. Now don't rush me." I said.

I stuck out my tongue at him playfully and turned back to face Rin.

"Just saying Misa." Said Yukio and chuckled at my response.

"Anyways Rin... I'll get to my dang point here..."

Looking directly behind me as I said that, Yukio rolled his eyes then I faced Rin again.

"The thing is, the best way that I can put this for you to understand why I'm bringing all of this up is to put it all in this way: That piece of paper is not just a simple piece of paper. You see, it represents the "Life" of a "Person" whether it may be a stranger or friend or yourself even that if you don't attack the "Demon" on it which are the questions and fill the page with the correct answers, and right answers are the strikes you hit them with in order to defeat them, you let that "Demon" you know as the feared "Due Date" kill that "Person" right in front of you and you are allowing it every single time."

As I said that, Rin's eyes became big, that it was proof how those words where all starting to sink in while he listened to every word closely as I spoke. Actually, both of the brothers remained quiet and let me speak what the older of the twins needs to hear.

"How many more of these innocent "People" are going to have to "Die" and be forgotten because their lives weren't lived how it was meant to be, which was to take the time for the assignment and learn. You simply stash the page in that collection of other unfinished work, no not page but "People" I mean. Then you turned your head like a hundred times by now letting the "Demons" ambush and hurt them over and over again with your back still turned ignoring the crying "People", or your homework. So right now on your desk, there's someone waiting on you to save them because they are alone and are scared probably wounded by now unable to protect themselves. All of the victims of the demons so terrified, they wait for an EXORCIST of any level, Page or not, able to save their precious lives they are so very desperate to hold on to."

Rin gasped in his shock and opened his mouth to say something but I stopped him there.

"Wait right there, I'm not done and I think I'm on a roll today. I'll let you know when I'm finished so don't interrupt me in my train of thoughts until I say I'm finished with this." I told him.

Smiling as I said that, his mouth closed shut and I continued my big speech to him.

"And like I said of staying awake in classes... It's so you are able to take notes too because borrowing from other people gets confusing in the long run with the simple detail that not all of you have to same thought process. In the end it doesn't help to use their hand written work, then it just gets hard to catch up in classes at your own pace. It'll be your career and not theirs in the end... Wow, I need a second or two here."

I took a quick moment to take one of my two unopened water bottles on Yukio's desk close to where he and I stood to drink some needed water. Placing the now half empty plastic bottle down where it was, I then continued to where I was going with this motivational speech for Rin.

I stood by Yukio again but this time with everybody calmed down, he didn't need to worry about holding me back anymore.

"Ah, that's some good water! Good thing I bought these things just this morning. Okay, anyways... The unfortunate thing is that demons aren't gong to all sit back and have this crazy long tea party all waiting on us to improve while we learn in full detail what exactly their weaknesses are so that we may fight back against them in the most effectively way possible or to let us have the proper time to learn from other experienced exorcists before us. We need to know how to properly fight, we are the next generation of exorcists. The big bad demons existing around us wish to finish humankind, more specifically us exorcists, just in general get everybody threatening to them all killed off before that time we know how to effectively counterattack. We wanna win this fight and they wanna win just as bad but for the wrong reasons. They want to take over what is currently our world and we're always needing to be ready in this constant fight in this seemingly never ending battle. They fight hard so we must do so too but even better, always at two steps ahead."

I paused a moment to let the words sink in for Rin before continuing on.

"Yet in all of that, the fun part is that it's true how right now at these peaceful times you have plenty of time to study and catch up on what you need to know about many types of demons and know exactly how to take care of them in these protected grounds of True Cross Academy with many great exorcists within these powerful barriers placed by the strong exorcist Headmaster himself."

I waved my hands around to signal the entire campus around me as I spoke about the school. I stopped for a second to consider the important role the Headmaster has.

"Okay, the thing is that despite his appearance, the Headmaster, he's quite powerful and it's lucky he's on our side. Yes he might seem weird but it's better to be on his good side and learn from him too. You're allowed to ask questions while you're safe here and you have chances to continue to learn with those small missions given each time. Although small and boring now it seems, eventually the teachers will allow you to go to those big time dangerous type missions you want where you include experience you built up from those earlier missions to later on when you're ready to fight incredible battles and higher ranked missions. It's all for the kind of Exorcist you want to be but you always need to start from somewhere, right? By then you'll have made that epic name known for miles around for yourself in the exorcist world finally. You can't cheat a great reputation like that so you'll need to work harder than you ever have before."

I heard Yukio clear his throat and all the attention in the room moved to him.

"Yeah, the real strong demons who have probably never heard of the exorcist assigned to an area have no idea what type of class they are in contrary how that exorcist has been most likely trained their whole lives to fight that kind of demon they are looking for because they took their time to study what they could and train when they can beforehand. Those kinds of exorcists have been saving lives meanwhile risking their own every single time for the countless strangers who don't even know they're being saved every time those demons decide to go crazy and attack the innocent. Demons are random at first but we take time learning their patterns, and so with all that I mean that is how we exorcists learn." Yukio said.

Looking at Yukio I gave him a thumbs up at that.

"See?! He got what I'm saying here!... Dang, good point there, nice addition.

"Yeah well, it's true too." Said Rin.

Yukio and I both smiled at that comment finally seeing the start of a change in Rin he's been needing to get into.

"Okay, the last time I checked, I was the youngest in the room by about five months. And the person supposed to be the oldest one in this group of three is you Rin of course. You there should be telling me to do my work but not the other way around."

I pointed at him to be more specific as I said that and then I put my hand down by my side.

"So being the oldest, your job is to act like it more. Yukio has pretty much taken to that job in your place in order to get himself together in the fight against demons and on that path he became the youngest exorcist in history ever, you've already heard of that I'm sure. By now, you should know you need to get yourself together too... So even if he doesn't ask for it, Yukio might want a bigger brother figure to look up to when he needs one from time to time." I continued.

"Hey! Don't speak for me like that! T- That's..." Yukio started but stopped himself trailing off in his embarrassment.

"If you want to complain why he's acting like a salary man all the time so be it, but he was pretty much forced to since somebody had to take the role of the mature older twin and that clearly was an open position. It didn't matter if he wanted to or not but he had no choice whatsoever but to take that said role and grow up faster than he probably should've in his situation."

Yukio didn't say anything and blushed even more embarrassed at my words. The brothers looked at each other.

"Misa, am I that obvious to read or something?" He facepalmed himself after I nodded to him as I wore a big grin.

"...Yukio? Is that true bro?" Rin asked.

Rin looked at his brother in shock as Yukio tried to look away and think of some sort of an excuse to deny it yet he then looked straight towards Rin and simply gave a small slight nod.

The room became quiet and nobody said anything for a bit and then after that pause that Yukio moved to stand in front of me, and not looking directly at his brother anymore yet eyes closed facing slightly downwards and he said what was on his mind with a reddened face.

"Uh, Rin? It's kinda weird to admit, to actually say it out loud you know... But in a way she's right and it's true though." Yukio looked up at his brother before continuing.

"Dad has passed on before us and he was really the only one I looked up to other than you, but now in his absence I only have you to help me out when I need it and who I could depend on. Thankfully half the time you do but then there's still an empty space there I feel when you don't pull yourself together at times. I take up all of my time to focus on my work as an exorcist to mask that feeling of loss our father left us with but sometimes I want to focus on my family too, or what's left of it I guess you can say." Yukio finished.

Rin had no words to say at that and took a few seconds as he slowly stood up and immediately hugged Yukio who was taken by surprise at this action all of a sudden and Yukio too slowly brought his hands up to hug Rin back.

I gasped slightly at that, realizing that this is what they needed rather than punching each other's lights out unnecessarily. It was better to talk out what was needed than mistaking their real feelings under anger and stress.

They backed away from each other a bit and Rin smiled to his little brother.

"Yukio, I understand it now. I need to do my part to make a win-win for everybody. Promise I'll do my best from now on, man to man alright?"

Taking notice to what he just said I coughed loudly to Rin know that I was here too. They both looked my way at that sound.

"Uh, I mean... A man to man... To girl promise? Did that sound right Misaki?" Rin smiled while scratching the back if his head when facing me.

Rin was grinning and Yukio tried to hide it but he was so obviously holding back his laugh at that under his hand when I faked a gasp loudly.

Yukio's good mood along with Rin's now good mood have changed everything into a more positive atmosphere and feeling that changed my mood too for the better.

"Why am I a "Girl" and you are the "Man" in the promise? I'm no kid you grandpa!" I exclaimed playing around.

Rin looked at me playfully insulted meanwhile it was getting harder for Yukio to hold back his laughter.

"What then? Do you want me to say "Woman"? And who are you calling Grandpa?! Like if anyone has gray grandpa hairs, it's Yukio! You can spot them all from a mile away!" Rin said.

I looked at Yukio after that for a second and lost it, that one was real funny to me. Yukio's face really got me laughing.

"H- Hey! That was only ONE time Rin that I found a single gray strand! That's not fair!"

"You don't deny it?" Said Rin.

Then Rin joined in on the laughter. Yukio facepalmed again and let out a sigh, he was smiling though.

"Hahaha! That was funny Rin! Sorry, Yukio because it was... Ah, that feels great to actually come to have such a good change of atmosphere around here. Yup, my work here is finally done here Rin." I smiled and the two nodded.

"And by the way Rin... "Woman" sounds too old to me and it doesn't sound right. Hmm, try "Lady" instead cause I think that word sounds fancy."

"Ah, got it Misaki." Said Rin with a small chuckle.

Then Rin faced me with a completely serious expression on his face.

"By the way I mean it, what I said though: That I will do what I can and more to get this show going on the road. You'll see, I will be a real awesome exorcist one of these days! One day for sure, all of you guys will be lining up for my autographs. Can't wait for that time to come. And I don't make a lot of promises but in every one so far, I have followed them word for word. Yukio knows that promises are when I really mean it. Haven't broken one to this day!"

Rin took out his hand and Yukio shook it.

"That's true big brother. Although you're just gonna keep waiting for that day I'll ever ask you for any autographs."

"But you didn't say the day would never come! Ah, that'll be a good day." Rin added.

"You'll never have me asking you for such a thing like an autograph, telling you this right now." I told Rin while waving my hands in front of me to say no.

After that, Rin turned to completely face me and took out his hand to me and I took it.

"Don't think I could've done it without you Misaki. You really know how to say the very thing we both needed to hear and I really thank you for it."

"It's no problem... Oh and by the way Rin, Tuesday isn't coming by any slower so it's time to start to prove yourself and improve now." I said as if a challenge.

"So if I ever find out that you start to slack off in your classes again, I'll have you know right now that dead men don't tell tales, and they especially can't complain about hard homework anymore." I said while still gripping his hand which he gulped a bit scared feeling that she wasn't all just joking about that which made Yukio laugh seeing how quick Rin was put in his place.

Rin nodded and understood.

"Challenge readily accepted. Just wait and see, I'll get to it now!"


	2. 2 Feeling Down

After all had been said and done, with everything that had needed to be heard, Rin went over to his backpack that was earlier thrown on the corner of the bed the Friday night before. He grabbed his underused Cram School textbook from it and moved back at the desk to sit down and proceed to get right to work.

Right there was the first time that either myself or Yukio had seen him start on his work and not having him complain because we were making him do it. No, this time it was different.

This Rin was starting to become what he should have been when he decided to become an exorcist that time, he was going to put actions into his words and get right down to doing what needs to be done.

Yukio looked at Rin working at his desk for a moment and let out a relieved sigh. This was all that he wanted to see, to not have to worry about taking care of his older brother so much all the time. A load of stress can be finally lifted off of the shoulders of the younger Okumura twin from here on out on the journey ahead that awaited the two of them.

Yukio then had walked to where I was sitting down reading earlier to pick up the open book that I had thrown down before having slapped Rin and all the rest of the other events of today.

"I'd never thought to see this day, not in a million years. A miracle of sorts, right Misa?" Yukio said while wiping specks of dirt of the front cover with the side of his right palm.

Yukio had paused for a second looking at the book title and opened the book to look over at that very page I was reading at earlier in the day for a moment, after having fixed the bookmark from slipping out of that chapter. An old worn out bookmark, with its faded blue color and a sunflower flower pattern printed on it I frequently use.

When at first I didn't respond, Yukio looked over to where I was still standing.

I didn't hear him clearly when he called to me and I had a hand over my face which was facing downwards with eyes closed feeling slightly out of it. It felt as though the world was moving fast and spinning all around me. I didn't hear his voice at first when he called as the dizzy sensation I felt before hit suddenly again. All of my energy was out of me, it left me feeling quite weak and exhausted all of a sudden. I tried to shake off the feeling like I have been to no effect and noticed Yukio was talking to me.

"Misaki?" Yukio called again not using his nickname for me to get my attention, his voice laced with concern.

I looked over at him while he was staring at me.

"Huh, what's up?" I said moving my hands down at my side and looking at him.

"I should be asking that. I just saw you-"

I started to move to get to the door, hand on the handle already. Even that simple action wasn't as easy when I have what feels like a heavy cloud over me weighing me down.

"I'm fine, just need some of that nice free fresh air out there. This room is quite stuffy, ever think of opening those windows sometime soon? It'll do everybody here some good." I talked quickly to leave the room and head on out.

I heard him start to talk to me but I didn't listen and shut the door behind me. Walking out further down the hallway before he could say anything more, as I was going down the hall and made my way slowly downstairs to the sink, that feeling of being dizzy only got stronger the more time passed. I felt my hands start to shake slightly and my knees beginning to feel weak to me as if I could easily just trip over my feet if I keep walking in this state. My breathing was faster and my sight was getting blurred.

"Dang it! Of all the times..." I said to myself, under my breath.

To me it seemed the world kept on spinning and my vision couldn't focus making it difficult as I walked until I made it downstairs to the familiar sink. I had my hands over the sink to keep me standing up what I could for a moment until I heard footsteps coming closer this way. Reacting quick, I moved to lean on the wall on the other side, much too quickly though, and the room spun slightly again.

"Misa, where'd you go?" Asked Yukio, his voice getting closer.

When Yukio walked down the steps that led to the hallway where I was, he had found me and walked over to where I was. He looked at me gave me a very serious look.

"I'll have to ask you again: What's wrong Misa?" Yukio said, using a tone to mean he wasn't joking around.

I looked down on the floor that I found suddenly interesting. I cursed at myself knowing I was never the best liar and knowing how easily he could see right through me.

"Like I said I'm fi-"

He raised a hand up in front of me, causing me to look back up at him, and he stopped right me there.

"Why don't you try repeating that without breaking eye contact if you weren't trying to hide something? You can't say that kind of stuff when I see it's obvious how you'r-"

I moved from leaning against the wall where I was to walk by pass in front of Yukio and try to convince him otherwise.

"It's all okay. Going to get a glass of water. You just worry... Too much, but... I'm f..."

I only made it so far down the hall until I felt my body stop by itself. Feeling more dizzy and it was only getting stronger, I swayed sideways and fell.

"Misaki?! H- HEY!"

As if in a distant, I heard Yukio's concerned voice a little far behind me where I left him. Everything went completely black.


	3. 3 Yukio's Worries

About a half a minute later, I was waking up from suddenly collapsing. I was waiting to feel the sharp pain of having fell on the cold hard ground, yet it was instead that I felt a soft warmness holding onto me. It was somehow familiar but my mind was still too jumbled to think as clearly.

I heard Yukio's voice call out to me again and felt something warm on the left side of my face, a hand.

"Wake up! Open your eyes... Misa?"

One of his arms had wrapped around me before I could hit the ground and then was holding me close. I felt his hand was still on my cheek feeling for fevers and shaking slightly as I was so still. It took just a little time until I gained some more consciousness. I was able to gather some strength and finally open my eyes to see Yukio looking over me worried as my head was laying on his lower left shoulder. I felt in a daze, seeing stars that weren't really there. Suddenly I realized how he was holding me.

I jumped up too fast to sit and it was a big mistake to do as it only made my head spin. Yukio had to softly push me back down to him and he gently held me on his shoulder at an angle close to him again while I was still feeling confused on how I got to this.

"Huh?... How?... What happened to me just now?" I questioned while noticing my body still felt heavy.

I was surprised how weak and small my voice sounded as I said that, I cleared my throat to fix it. I moved both of my hands up to rub my eyes. Focus in my sight then fully retuned and I noticed how close he was to me and so in attempt to hide it, I looked away to the side feeling my cheeks start to blush.

"Misa, you fainted and didn't respond for a bit. But thank goodness... You're okay." Yukio said in relief.

"Yukio? How'd you figure?" I asked, realizing how I'm probably the worst liar he's ever met.

"You can try but you simply can't lie to a doctor. You don't look well, pale, and just too hungry to even stand..." He spoke in as matter of fact voice but then it changed when he continued, "And so... When's the last time you ate properly?"

I winced slightly at his stern tone with me the way he asked that. He was right, there's just no way to even attempt a lie to a doctor that easily, especially one who knows me well. I slightly shook my head as I told him.

"Had a bad day yesterday so I guess I missed breakfast this morning. Fell asleep early the day before, that's why."

He shook his head slightly with a slight sigh and then picked me up in a bridal style which made me gasp. The action made me blush a bit more than before and I tried to protest against it.

"H- Hey wait! Yukio!"

"Yes?" He asked nonchalantly.

"You don't have to carry me! I can walk on my own two legs you know. That's precisely why I even have them in the first place!"

He raised one eyebrow at me.

"Oh yes, you can totally keep your balance in this state. Can you?... It's no problem though Misa, really."

I stayed silent knowing he was right and after a moment he spoke.

"Why didn't you want to tell me if something's feeling wrong? Where did you think you were actually going to go if I didn't follow you?" Yukio asked.

"...Because you're already busy enough as it is. I meant to at least go back to my dorms and sleep it off after eating the rest of my roommate's pizza in the fridge. Hey, I'll be fine, really."

"Do you forget how far our dorms are? It's more than halfway across the campus. This school doesn't keep the girls dorm and the boys dorm buildings too close of course. Don't tell me you forget that already? For you to even say that Misa, that's what worries me." He sighed and shook his head at that.

"How could I ever forget the distance? I walk here every other weekend to study with the rest of the Cram School students. So... Uh... You trying to say something with that last part there?" I asked raising an eyebrow, wondering what that meant.

He nodded.

"Well, Misa your definition of being 'Fine' means you take care of everybody else before yourself."

"W- Well I just... Uh..." I didn't know how to respond to that, it sounded like a compliment?

I stayed quiet again then he added on not looking at me this time as he carried me down further into a hall we just turned into.

"The thing is that with that you're selfless and really one of the kindest people I've ever met. It's not a bad thing, it's nice. Refreshing. Just know you're important too and it works, trust me."

As if he realized that he spoke out loud, Yukio got shy after having said that and seemed embarrassed. Hearing that made me blush red and my heart raced a bit faster.

"Y- You really think that? Of me?"

He took a moment to answer back.

"Of course I do. Knowing you... Well, who wouldn't?"

"...But you're the first one to tell me. Yukio, thanks. It's a kind compliment."

He carried me through the hallway and I wore a small smile then I asked where he was taking me out of curiosity.

"To that room you read a lot in, with that big brown couch you like so much. You need to lie down while I ask Ukobach to prepare something for you to eat, is that okay with you?" He told me.

"Yeah." Was all I said back with a slight nod letting him know it was okay.

The room was far in on the left side of the hallway, just two short turns from where we began to make it here.

After he laid me down on the couch Yukio stood up to head in over to the kitchen.

"Rest here meanwhile. I'll be back soon. Okay Misa?"

I nodded and he left me alone in the room. I was able to collect my thoughts on all the events that occurred today as I laid my head on the armrest of the couch.

'So was Rin able to start fresh on his old quest to be a real powerful exorcist with just those words? Hope I spoke clearly enough. Is there more I could've said and anything more I could've done? Or is everything okay now and Rin will do his best? Although, it seems that now both Yukio and myself can trust Rin to start taking things around here more seriously though'.

Then my mind moved on to the more recent situation thinking about Yukio and I noticed that my heart was beating quicker now, after I had just calmed down too, as I thought about the events that led me here.

About no more than maybe less than half an hour had passed when Yukio knocked on the open door and made me jump and open my eyes awake.

"Sorry, to wake you Misa." Yukio said apologetically.

I quickly sat up slightly, startled by the sudden noise and my eyes found Yukio who was smiling my way and I relaxed seeing him.

"What? Who was sleeping?" I asked jokingly.

"Hmm, sure." He said sarcastically.

"Haha, whatever." I replied with a short laugh.

I sat completely up as I saw that along with him at his feet was the little stove spirit himself out of the kitchen to bring me his dish he held.

"Ukobach?"

The two of them walked into the room and then Yukio had stopped to make way for Ukobach. It was a bit strange to actually see him out of the kitchen since that place is his sole comfort zone.

"I told him what happened and I think he was worried for you. He brought his food for you himself."

The little kind demon jumped on the coffee table in front of the couch, carefully not spilling any contents of the bowl he held over his head and put it down. I sat up criss crossed on the far left side of the couch and Ukobach jumped back right next to me.

"Raw gruty o waf. Maak ga hur, ka nyop lib!" Ukobach said cheerfully.

"I can't understand him like brother does but he's probably saying he hopes you get better soon?"

Yukio walked more in the room towards the window to fix the curtains open behind where I was as the small demon gave out his hand to me wanting to shake hands. Instead I pulled his hand to come closer and I gave him a hug while thanking him. When I patted his head, he was blushing red and smiling happily, he points to his food on the small round table and gives me thumbs up before leaving back to the kitchen.

The room was a bit brighter since the windows were pulled open to allow the afternoon sun to shine through. Looking down at that bowl of freshly made ramen, Yukio sat down on the other side of the couch from me. I had moved to have my back on the armrest of the couch like I was before but more sitting up to eat and sat on my legs under me to make space for Yukio to sit.

"Something wrong with what Ukobach brought in?" He said after seeing how surprised I looked at the bowl after removing the plate covering it. He sat down on the now open space remaining on the couch.

"Oh, not that! It's just, well, how'd he know pork ramen was my favorite? Do you think he could read our minds and makes lunch that way or something? That'd be sort of awesome I think, good food everyday."

Yukio looked at me for a second and then started to laugh so I just looked at him confused.

"What's so funny all of a sudden?" I asked wondering what I said that made him laugh.

"I'm pretty sure that's not how Ukobach does dinner and such. Or I don't think so? But actually, he didn't know what to cook. He was running through the kitchen and thinking while going through the recipes after I told him what happened. Well, until I suggested what I remembered you said from that one time arguing with Rin."

Thinking about that for a few seconds, I realized what Yukio must have meant like if a light bulb went off in my head. Something that happened a while ago too.

"I remember! Also remember that part when yours truly was the winner of said argument with him. He was trying to say beef ramen was better than pork ramen! No way." I started to laugh.

"And you were so serious about it too." Yukio laughed even more at that.

I joined in on the laugh as we both remembered that day.

Next I picked the plate off of the table and grabbed the set of chopsticks that were placed on top of the bowl and broke them apart. I started eating and was quickly feeling much better as I ate.

"Wow, how does a cute little demon like him learn how to cook like this? It's probably the best plate I've ever had!" I said while wearing a big smile.

Yukio looked up at me and smiled.

"I hope so because he looked real determined as he worked over the stove. You know, he's not as bad as demons are usually made out to be if you think about it actually."

"He's living proof how demons and humans can live just fine together. It doesn't always have to be how people think it does." I said halfway through my bowl already.

Yukio nodded in agreement.

"Hey, if Ukobach can cook as well as this, then did Rin teach him how?"

"Actually, you already know he's the familiar of the Headmaster. The thing is that Ukobach already knew how to cook before meeting and Rin was already able to cook at a very young age too. Those two started out fighting when they met actually."

I looked at Yukio in surprise at that.

"Fighting? What happened?" I asked not believing the small demon would be much of a fighter. Even if he was still a demon, he was much too kind.

"At first when my brother and I got here, we thought we were the only ones living in this dorm but then realized after talking with Sir Pheles about it, that he let his familiar cook for us but without knowing, Rin had trespassed into the kitchen and Ukobach appeared in order to challenge my brother in a cooking battle. After all of that, Ukobach and Rin respected each other's skills and became fellow chefs soon after. As they wish, they want to work together one day to create the 'Ultimate' lunch box."

I laughed at that.

"That sounds so much like something Rin would do. That's a funny story!"

We both laughed even more at this.

"Really, Rin puts so much energy into cooking that if he put at least half of that into studying, he'd be able to challenge even Bon." Yukio thought out loud.

"Agreed." I said as I finished the ramen and then placed the empty bowl down on the table.

"Goodness, I do feel much better. So relaxed and not in so much of a bad mood anymore, just calm." I said as I stretched my arms above me and then put them back down. I stared up an the ceiling and put my head on top of the back rest of the couch.

"You know Yukio, I don't think that you have to worry about needing to make Rin study anymore or any of that. He understood well and he'll stop wasting time. I think he's got this, what he needs to do."

Yukio then nodded in response.

"You always really had a way to talk. Thank you, with everything that you had said, you really helped him there Misa."

I moved to face Yukio and I was now sitting with my legs under me and the arm rest behind, where I was sitting in a sideways position. I waved my hands in front of me.

"No, there's no need to thank me! Just anytime be needs a wake up call, you know you just need to tell me." I said and added a big thumbs up when I did.

Yukio looked up at me and smiled but then stopped and stared at me.

"What's wrong Yukio? Something on my teeth? The ramen?" I covered my mouth with my hands just in case.

He quickly snapped out of his trance and shook his head.

"N- No! Not that... I noticed how the color in your face returned. I didn't mean to stare, sorry, I'm just relived."

Yukio looked away saying that and I put my hands back down on my lap.

"No, I'm the one who's sorry here... Sorry to have given you more white hairs Yukio." I joked, shrugging my shoulders with a grin.

"Not funny." He said although smiling.

"Nope, not funny at all. It's hilarious!" I giggled and he sarcastically laughed along but then turned into a real laugh with me.

"Sorry really this time, I won't make fun of your grandpa hairs anymore." I said while I patted him slightly on his right shoulder.

It took me the next moment to pause and realize that this is the first time that Yukio and I are actually alone, just the two of us. Realizing how I had became suddenly silent, Yukio looked over at me.

"Misa? You okay?" He asked me.

I snapped out of my thoughts and looked at Yukio.

"Oh, yeah. I just thought of something that's all." I tried waving it off looking away.

"What was it?" He asked curiously.

I took a moment before answering him on something about the same topic of demons.

"Well... Do you believe... Uh... Have you ever thought about how would your life be if you were one of those people who never had to deal with demons? The difference?" I asked slowly.

"Actually... With all the troubles that demons bring, all the time. Why do you ask?"

"How about if we never knew about demons, do you think we would've met each oth- I mean you met each of the Cram School Students?" I almost let slip my real question and quickly changed it halfway. I sat there just waiting for his answer and hoping he didn't hear the quick cover up.

"Hmm... Now that you put it that way... I think I would have seen them around as just other classmates around this campus, just another student without a thing in common. Rin would still be trying to hold down a job or maybe even have been arrested and eventually we wouldn't see each other as much except holidays, most definitely not here in school. We're only together now because of our situation as Exorcists so one day we might as well be strangers only connected by blood with me being all busy studying so far away from the monastery here and him doing his own thing whatever that may have been over there back home. I would've taken years to become a doctor if it wasn't through dad and True Cross plus I'd have to deal with so many student loans too without all of that. Or my brother and I would've maybe even had parents instead of being adopted and never met our dad at all in the first place. If I think a little more about it, he could still be alive right now wherever that might have been at this moment."

"Oh. That's true though. You do seem to have given this much though then." I thought about his words and realized how demons are the reason how his life has been like so far. Demons really were how he made all the friends he's met even slightly possible because of how the whole True Cross Order is a big part of his life.

Yukio broke our eye contact completely and kept looking away before continuing.

"Actually... Do you think that my dad died because he met me and my brother?"

That question surprised me, it sounded like his voice held guilt. That he felt being around Fujimoto resulted in the early demise of the former Paladin. With both of his elbows on his legs, he held his head between his hands facing down and kept talking.

"When I think about it, at first I was so angry that he was gone so I immediately placed the whole blame on my brother. Now I know that wasn't fair and I did realize later on that it wasn't all his fault. But when I'm by myself thinking about dad, I can only really blame me for how weak I was to protect him and I keep worrying that one day my weakness will kill the only family I have left, Rin. We're all that we have left, each other, but what if I let him die too? Misa, what will I do then if that happens?"

He didn't look at me but I could see how scared he was at having those thoughts become a reality, a nightmare come true. I took a moment to think of Shiro and remembered how kind a man he was and one conversation that took place a while ago came back to me.

"Really, if you ask me, Shiro always knew something like that was bound to happen to him."

"Wait, what do you mean? What makes you say so?" Yukio asked looking up at me when I said that.

"Yukio, I still remember that one time a few years back when you were with Rin one day because he was in another fight and you fixing him up again. When you two were in the other room, your dad came up to me when I was visiting that day. My parents allowed me to come by again and I was helping clean around the monastery with everybody else. Your father said to me while watching you guys that it's good to see how you two will always take care of each other, and that he's getting old. When I asked him what he meant, he just said that he trusts that I'll be by the both of you for a very long time. I told him that he must be joking because he wasn't that old but he just smiled and said if anything would happen to him that I'll be able to make him feel at ease because of my presence by you two will be right there so he won't worry as much."

It was silent for a few moments and neither of us spoke until Yukio found the words to break the still silence.

"Wow... How come you've never told me or Rin all of this before?" Yukio asked.

"Because it was a long time ago. I've just remembered it actually. It honestly all came back to me just now. He was a really kind person, must be where you learned it from most definitely."

"Thanks for telling me Misa. Hearing that made me feel relieved, like something heavy just lifted off of my shoulders. At least now I know. I won't keep feeling guilty he's gone, nothing can ever bring him back to us, especially constant guilt and regret."

"That's right, he'd want his two sons to move forward. It's what's best for you three, okay?"

Yukio stopped to think about what I've told him just now. Even I thought to myself about it, how it's true what Shiro said to me that day, how those two really do look after each other. Their dad don't have to worry anymore, both are doing well.

He was silent for a few moments and neither of us said anything until Yukio continued the previous conversation.

"Listen... About what you had asked me before, with you, if that's what you were meaning to say, even if all of us here didn't know about demons, then I would have looked for you myself, against whatever fate is." Yukio said in a quieter voice.

My eyes widened at that not knowing if I heard this clearly.

"We know each other because of the demons we encountered. If you don't know anything about who I might be or why even me, then how would you know where to start and who to look at?" I asked.

Yukio looked away from me but kept on talking as I wanted to hear more about what he was trying to say.

"I'll know it's you when I see you. I believe some people are meant to meet no matter what. You see, you've become part of the Cram School family and a bigger part of Rin's life and in my own life. Even if I tried, I can't see anybody else in that alternate demon free universe I think of."

To hear that made me smile brightly at him.

"Yukio, that's... Thank you for saying that."

I moved closer to where he was sitting on the couch and took his right hand from his lap as I said that but then I realized that I just did that and he looked at me surprised. I let go apologizing for my sudden actions and stood up from the couch facing the other way shaking my head. I heard him move behind me and to stand up too.

"S- Sorry! Don't know wh-"


	4. 4 Connections Made

Yukio had slowly stood up from the couch too and was now right behind me. I felt him turn me around by slightly pulling my right shoulder with his hand.

When I faced him, he had gently picked up my left hand from where it was at my side in response to what I did earlier and held it softly in the middle of on his palm. He then moved to look at me directly, completely facing me.

I met his green eyes and noticed how it felt different in the way he was looking at me, with such an expression that I couldn't read right away.

"No, don't be sorry Misa. It's fine." He spoke softly.

I felt my face heat up as I looked at him, who was giving me a warm smile in return.

"Would it be okay if I do this?" Yukio asked me.

He held my right hand with his left and had carefully brushed a loose strand of my hair back in place with his right. I nodded an okay to him in order to say a clear yes.

Yukio then had suddenly paused as if he was thinking on doing something or not and put his right hand down back at his side.

"Listen... There's been s- something on my mind and... It's a- about... I want to... To j- just say... Uh..."

Yukio stuttered in his words but had stopped halfway looking nervous.

"What happened? Is something wrong?" I asked.

I was confused at what was going on, including the way he stood there unable to talk clearly, stumbling over his words. From what I've always been used to, it just wasn't like him to lose his cool so easily. Seeing him like this was something new to me.

"I really hope not." He shook his head saying.

"Then why-"

He had slowly and gently picked up to move my left hand right over his chest and I was able to feel his quickened heartbeat as if he just finished running an intense mile or two. He tried to talk but just like before, he couldn't get the words that he had wanted out clearly at all.

"This is what you... What only you... Do to me and... And I... I..." Yukio spoke but stopped himself there short on his words.

He placed his left hand from holding on my wrist to over my own where it was on his chest and he had pressed it gently. He finally made direct eye contact with me again.

"I don't think I'll be able to say it... But you might understand... If you'd allow me to show you. Misa? Would that be okay with you?"

Again I simply nodded, not really knowing what I should do otherwise or what to say to him.

Blushing, I wondered what it was he meant by everything since he started talking like this and the moment made me feel nervous the same like he was, with a racing heart, in this kind of atmosphere.

"There's no going back now." He said more to himself, thinking out loud.

He hesitated and then sighed before taking a step closer towards me and put his right hand on my lower back which made me gasp at this sudden contact. I looked up at him and was able to see his face up so close for what feels like the first time and I saw his very reddened cheeks. Even I had felt my own face get hot with a blush, being like this.

"Yukio?" I asked wondering what this all meant.

"Stop me at anytime, I'll understand." Was the single reply he gave me.

He lowered the tone of his voice when he said that and then slowly pulled me more towards him that we had no gap between us. At this point I understood what he meant by his actions and behavior and my eyes had widened in that shock. There was only one thing that this had all meant, and that was the only explanation that I had been able to conclude in my head.

He leaned his face in more and his eyes were slowly closing. I was able to feel his breath on my face at how close he was to me. I shut my eyes slowly too as he did and moved myself to lean in as well.

I had no idea what to think or even what words to speak as we stood there in our own world and let the moment continue on.

In the back of my mind I was thinking how I might just wake up at any time now, that this was too unreal for me: How him and I had ended up like this after so long.

...Here was the exorcist that once upon a time I met years ago. He was skinny and even the same height as myself at that time. Yet somewhere along the line in growing up, he became noticeably taller than at what I stood and with his line of work had even gained more muscle on him making him look more mature.

Here was the person that I realized I had come to grow feelings for the more time I had spent with him over the years...

In front of me, Yukio paused for a moment, he made himself stop just in case I was going to push him away in any second and waited there for a few moments.

When I didn't make any movement to separate myself away from him, Yukio leaned in even more towards me to completely close the gap between us.

In the moment when I felt his kiss, when our lips first made contact, it was such a thing that I've never ever think to exist, or ever to have experienced beforehand in my life. Strong emotions were growing inside of me and were all so overwhelming to feel. All at the same time, the butterflies in my stomach flew about in a rush of crazy fluttering.

My free right hand moved to hold on to Yukio's upper left arm sleeve of his yellow sweater while he gripped my other hand slightly tighter in a hold still over his chest where I felt his heart beating even more strongly than before.

I felt his arm on my upper back move to grab my hip slightly. My left hand had gripped on to the front of his shirt where it was held on his chest with his hand still over it on a hold.

After staying in the moment with our lips connected, both of us had backed off slightly to face each other breathing fast from the fresh new experience. The first who broke the silence was myself after a few seconds later, facing downwards unable to make any eye contact yet.

"...I had no idea..." I whispered in my surprise thinking out loud because I had no other words I could think of at that moment.

"Misaki, I was just-"

I shook my head just when I started to hear how he was about to apologize and held onto him gently when I felt him start to move away, so he stayed to listen to what I had to say. I made myself move my face up, to look to see him directly and tell him what I really wanted to say to him.

"I had no idea... No idea that you felt the same way I did. That's what I wanted to tell you." I finished saying in a much more clearer voice.

His eyes widened at that and I smiled up at him, feeling truly happy at the moment. Yukio then moved both his arms around me in a hug and held me close, my head on his chest and both of my arms moved to wrap around his waist.

"Did this just really happen? Or am I in one of those really vivid, really realistic kind of dreams?" He asked in disbelief to nobody in particular.

"What makes you say so?... Actually, I'd like to ask the same thing myself." I asked but mumbled the last part not realizing that he had heard that too.

I heard him sigh slightly before responding to my question.

"Honestly? I had thought that you'd stop to tell me how you liked Suguro from the Cram School or even my older brother... But no, not me."

I heard these inner worries of his and held Yukio slightly tighter before I answered him back.

"It's because you're you, Yukio, that I had these feelings for you this whole time. You're not like anybody else I've met, you're just... Different. But I mean the good kind of different you see." I said against his chest.

"What do you mean by saying 'Whole time' there?" Yukio asked, noticing my choice of words.

I pulled away a bit to face him as we still stood in the middle of the room. I forced myself to admit the thoughts that occasionally came up from time to time in myself.

"Uh... You see... I... Um... Well, thinking that you probably liked Izumo... Possibly Shiemi from the Cram School too... Or maybe even another female classmate of yours, I kept quiet about it all, about anything that I wanted to let you know about, which was... This kind of thing." I finally told him, still feeling slightly embarrassed as I did and looked away again.

I heard Yukio chuckle and hearing that made me look back up at him.

"If you were thinking that, are you telling me this because that means you... Were you jealous?" He asked with a small grin which made me look away from his gaze facing downwards.

"Misa? Please, don't hide your face." Yukio asked as he gently pulled my chin up with one if his hands.

When I didn't answer right away what he asked me, he smiled even more. His green eyes looked deep into my brown and I felt my face get hot in a deeper blush, if that was even possible by now.

"Don't make me say it out loud, it makes me feel embarrassed... Weren't you the same?" I asked in return.

Yukio's eyes widened at this sudden turn of the tables and turned away to start looking at the ceiling away from my gaze stammering over his words, mumbling as he admitted his thoughts.

"...W- Well I couldn't help it... Sometimes... Sometimes I even saw how well you and Rin got along that... I just..." Yukio started.

Yukio spoke fast as he talked and trailed off realizing how he was rambling his sentences on. I giggled a little, being happy how in truth we were feeling the same kind of things.

"For one thing is that we were the same age but you were a higher ranking exorcist already. It had kind of impressed me when I first heard if it... Then how you've been so kind to me too. From that, I had started to admire you actually. As more time passed, and I got to know you better, it all grew into something much more." I admitted.

"Here you were this shy young girl who couldn't even open herself up with the people around her. Over time, you had grown into this kind and outgoing type of person right before my very eyes... I can't even tell you when it started that I began thinking about you. Meaning, that I can't say exactly when it was that I started to think of wanting to get to know you better or wanting to spend some more time with you. I just happened, and I didn't notice." Yukio told me.

Not knowing what to say to that but smile at his words, he kept talking to me.

"Wow... So does that mean we've been...? Then it was both the same?" Yukio asked in his realization.

"It seems so." I grinned understanding what he meant.

After a second in silence, Yukio took a second before continuing on.

"Then I guess it at least could be way easier to ask of this next thing," Yukio took a quick breath and released it before continuing, "I want to ask, if you would let me... If I may be lucky enough to call you my... For you Misaki, to be my girlfriend?"

I took a second to let those words sink in fully and then I smiled brightly up to him.

"Yes... Yukio, I would love for that to be so."

He sighed out in relief like if he was holding his breath and saw him relax from how tense he was when he asked that. He hugged me closer again like we were before. I realized how safe it was to be in his arms like this. How natural it felt to be around him. This kind of moment was the best kind, when I was by he side.

"Yukio?" I started to ask about a minute later.

Yukio moved to look at me and placed his left hand on the side of my face.

"Yes, what is it?" He asked me as he passed a thumb across the side of my cheek.

"Is it okay if this time I do this?"

I moved one of my hands to pull on the lower back of his neck to bring him slightly closer towards me and leaned in, and when he understood what I meant again we kissed. His hand on my back moved me towards him gently.

After a few seconds had passed being like that, we both pulled away again.

"Misa, you don't have to ask your boyfriend that now." He said while stroking on my face with both of his hands on each side gently.

To hear those words sounded so right to us and finally made us realize that the moment was real. He leaned close to my ear as he hugged me.

"I still can't picture anybody else in my future than you. I could only want you to stay by my side." He whispered still holding me.

All of a sudden, behind us, there was a loud clatter of something that fell. We jumped in surprise and we saw that from the corner of the room that, what was knocked over were a few books that were stacked high on the side lamp table. Kuro had looked up at us bowing her head down as if to saying a sorry then left.

Since when has Kuro been there?! How long? Were we really so caught up in the moment?

With that surprise, I even took notice of the clear window that now showed a darkening night sky. I gasped in realizing how long I had been here in this old boys dorm. I looked up at Yukio.

"I didn't realize how much time had passed! I should have been back at my dorm a while ago by now." I said hurriedly realizing that I was past school curfew.

Yukio understood what I meant and his eyes widened.

"I should have been paying attention Misa!" Yukio said in an apologetic tone.

I then froze in my panic when I realized something and giggled a little which made Yukio turn his head confused at me.

"If you get caught walking around these hours past the curfew by a teacher, you're sure to be in trouble so what's funny about that?" He asked me.

"Well maybe... Maybe Mr. Okumura can make sure I don't get trouble?" I suggested.

He raised an eyebrow realizing where I was getting at. He sighed in defeat when I insisted how it was okay just to walk around after hours if to get back to my dorm. If he's there, it'll be alright, especially him being a trusted exorcist.

"I see what you mean," he said chuckling, "Misa, it's okay for now but it can't be a usual thing or we'll both be in trouble." Yukio said, using his teacher tone.

"Understood teacher!" I said with a short salute and he smiled at that.

On the way out if the door he turned around to face me who still stood there.

"Are you coming along?" He asked me holding out one hand which I took.

I nodded and followed him out the door where he then took me to my building not too far now, us holding hands along the way without having run into anybody. Not speaking much as we walked to my dorms, it felt calm just to be with each other and enjoy the other one's presence. We said our goodbyes at my destination.

"See you tomorrow Yukio?" I asked before heading inside the entrance door.

"Yes, of course." He said smiling.

We waved farewell to each other and Yukio continued on to his dorms walking back.

When the door shut behind me and I made it through the hallways of the building, it just all felt so unreal to me how the day had gone by.

After walking up the flight of stairs to get back to the hallway I needed to find, I took a sharp right when reaching the door that I was looking for. Trying to be as quiet as I can be, it was already late in the day and I didn't want to wake up my roommate Ami unnecessarily.

Turning the door knob as carefully as I can, I slipped through the door that I had pushed open only so much, to reduce any noises as little as I could. It was dark in the dorm room and I surmised that Ami already was in bed.

Locking the door behind me as best as I could, suddenly I saw that light had filled the room.

"What do you think you're trying? To sneak in here like nothing? I've been worried sick! Misaki, where were you?" Said an irritated voice.

The surprise of Ami having been waiting for me had scared me and I had nearly reached the ceiling, still trying to not wake the dorm neighbors with my sudden short yell of shock.

"Oh! It's you Ami! Having trouble getting some sleep? What are you doing up?" I said hurridely, trying to get past her questions after recovering.

Standing up from the futon that was on the far side of our room, Ami made her way towards me and pointed an accusing finger at me.

"Don't you avoid my questions! I tried texting you a few times to ask where you were at, yet of all days, you just had to leave cellphone here? Now, why are you back so late?... Tell me, is something wrong?"

I took a step back from her and waved my hands in front of me.

"No, nothing's wrong! I'm okay, I promise." I said with a grin.

She shook her head and folded her arms across her chest. Looking up at me, she raised an eyebrow in confusion.

"I was literally going to head for the Headmaster if you still didn't arrive here in ten minutes to call in for a search in case my best friend had been kidnapped by a demon... But you're all here in one piece, and in the best of moods I see." She reached out to me and put a hand on my shoulder before finishing. "You've just been so out of it lately, especially from all the stress that your normal classes are giving you for midterms that I was worried if demons had been the case."

"Ami, I'm sorry for worrying you so much. I promise that everything is okay now. C'mon, let's get some hot chocolate and sit down. It's been a long day for me." I suggested.

"Okay! Sounds good." Ami agreed.

It didn't take long for Ami to make the drinks and I had showered quickly in order to change into pajamas for the night.

Putting my hair up in a ponytail, I walked out of the bathroom to sit down on the futon right next who Ami who had waited for me and had handed me my cup. I thanked her and she wasted no time wanting to hear what I had to say.

"Talk." She said before taking a sip from her cup.

Smiling how straightforward this girl was, it made me remember how quick she was to literally ordering us being good friends when I first walked through the door when school started. I was really shy around new people at first but because of how much of an outgoing person she was, I was able to open up and be more of an outgoing and a funny person myself.

"Well, I had to study so I wanted to find a nice and quiet place." I started.

"So you mean to tell me that you've just been studying all day? Where? On the moon? Cause when I came back from lunch, you still haven't made your way back here! What were you studying? Rocket science?" Ami asked sarcastically.

"I've actually been thinking about maybe looking over the other Meisters to see if I could earn a second one in the future. Once I become a fully qualified Aria, I want to be able to do something else to help, but that's still just a thought. I haven't really decided on anything yet really." I said as I shrugged my shoulders.

I took another long sip from my drink and Ami sat there just thinking to herself.

"If you say it like that... Oh! Then does that mean that you were with Mr. Okumura? ALL day?" She asked me with a smirk which almost made me choke to death on my drink in surprise.

"Is that true?! No way! You had "Private" tutoring lessons with our teacher?! Why didn't you just tell me?!" Ami gasped in surprise.

"Don't say it like that!" I told her and felt my face getting red. "It wasn't like that... But then agai-" I tried to say but Ami in her excitement had interrupted me.

"You did, didn't you?! When's the wedding you love birds?" Ami joked.

When I didn't answer her right away, she put her empty cup down on the side table right next to the bright lamp that currently lit the entire room.

"Is that what happened?! Misaki! Tell me!" Ami questioned as she grabbed on to my shoulders and started to shake me.

"Hey! Don't break the cups!" Realizing what she meant I quickly corrected her. "That isn't what happened I swear! He's 16 and I'm only 15! Plus, I don't have any plans for those kinds of things until I'm good and married."

Ami sat back down to her side of the futon and seemed deflated somewhat.

"Ah, bummer. So you really did stay and study. No wonder you've been so stressed, you need to take a breather."

Placing my now fully empty cup down on the coffee table that laid in from of the small futon where we sat, I scratched the back of my head and slightly sighed before I started to tell her about the rest of my day.

"Well, Yukio has been so busy lately so he wasn't really tutoring anyone today. I was just really there to read on some stuff to study for because you know he's an exorcist and he has good books. Then... Some things happened."

"So you did?!" Ami joked again.

"No way!... Well, Yukio and I had talked to Rin on some very deep stuff. It was all on how much he had been slacking in the class, so now at least he's going to be working as he should be..."

"That's great! Really?!" Ami asked but then froze when she took notice on my lack of words.

"Misaki? Is there more?" She asked.

I felt my face start to blush again as she stared at me awaiting my reply.

"Uh... Don't get mad at me. But-"

"Hmph, that's gotta be the one way I start to get mad. What happened?" She asked in a more serious tone and I took a second to answer back.

"Good thing that Yukio is a Doctor, am I right?" I said indirectly.

"What happened? Are you saying you're sick? Are you okay?" Ami asked me worriedly.

"Not exactly sick, but thanks for asking Ami. I'm doing better. Way better." I assured her.

She relaxed in her relief when she heard this knowing that I was really alright now.

"Okay then, go on." She urged me, not being able to keep under the suspense.

"After that whole discussion with Rin, after Yukio and I sat somewhere else in the dorms for Rin to work quietly on his homework, it got really deep between me and Yukio. I know that he isn't really the type to really talk about himself, so it made me really happy to just know that he trusts me to that extent."

"You've always been so close those twins for many years now, haven't you?" Ami asked with a smile.

I thought to myself realizing how true that was. It was almost like we three had grown up with each other. There was a gap of three years, but when I was enrolled in True Cross Academy, we reunited. It was as if what was meant to be will always find a way.

"Yes, I suppose so. The thing is, really only you knew how I felt about Yukio, but more like guessed on point and bluntly asked after but... Yukio and myself, we've felt the same it seems." I said with a big smile.

Jumping up from her seat, Ami had to hold in her surprised scream and I was nodding at her jumbled up questions to confirm her realization of my words.

"Say WHAT?!... Really?! Are you serious?!... Are you telling me that you an him are... Oh my goodness! My little Misaki is growing up!" Ami said while hugging me happily.

"Don't wake our neighbors Saikya and Yuhima! They'll report us for being too loud after hours!... But yes, that's what I'm telling you. He asked me to be his girlfriend and I thought that I was dreaming I swear. But it turned out to be true, and I haven't felt this happy in a while, if not just never for real before now."

Ami backed of when she saw my expression.

"What? Something wrong?" I asked her when she froze and then snapped out of it.

"It just surprised me. It really is true, in my two years here as your roommate, I've never seen you glow this much before... If that's what love is, it's written all over your face Misaki." Ami said a bit stunned.

I jumped at her words and I felt my face blush.

"Me? In love?" I asked more to myself.

"Oh please, of course it's that! You always speak so highly of him and you have mentioned how cool he is, don't deny it now."

I sat there for a minute and thought it over. My eyes had widened knowing that her words are true. My heart beat rapidly again and thought about him, it really was as she said...

I fell in love with Yukio Okumura.

"Hello? Earth to Misaki Kasumi?" Ami said while snapping her fingers in front of me to get my attention.

"Y- yes?!" I asked, taken out of my thoughts.

"I've only seen that kind of look on someone once, when I was really young though. I was a child back then, but I still understood that the look my mom gave my father was something not short from true love. Ever since that time, I've wanted that kind of thing for myself in my own life one day because I thought of how beautiful it was. Still no luck yet, but I have hope. I was able to see it again just now so I know now that I wasn't just imagining it back then either."

"Ami... I do. I love Yukio, and it's something that feels so real. Is it okay to say that I'm in love someone so much when I'm still so young?" I asked.

"I will stand up for you two against the world should I have to if they tell you it's not what you know it is. It looks to be way beyond than just a crush and you're lucky, no blessed, to have found somebody like that to have by your side."

Hearing her words, I scooted closer to Ami and hugged her really close.

"Thank you. That's great to hear. You're just the best Ami!" I told her as she hugged me back.

"Of course I am! I'm not known as "Awesomemazing Ami" for nothing you know!" She answered after letting me go to give me a big thumbs up.

"But nobody calls you that." I said after laughing with her.

"Eh, it'll catch on if I say it enough times, maybe." She said with a shrug.

Standing up from the futon after picking up both of our cups to proceed into washing them off in the sink, I turned around to Ami who had also stood up.

"I couldn't have ever found a better roommate than you, I'm glad... And I could have made a better bestfriend."

Ami looked up at me in surprise, after that then grinned big.

"I'm always here for you, don't you forget that. Plus, I'll still be wanting to be at that wedding of yours in the future, you hear?"

"Who else would liven up the party like you? You're invited for sure! Nobody else can turn up a place like you can. Just be sure to invite me to yours and Bon's!" I added in.

I heard her gasp in shock.

"What?! But how did you?... I didn't say!... Am I that obvious?" She finally asked in defeat.

Rinsing out the cups and placing them away in the cabinets after drying, I turned around to face her and nodded.

"I've seen the way that you look at him. You say that I can't fool you means the same for you too, how you can't fool me. He's not a bad guy and you've had your eye on him for a while. If you ask me, he might feel the same way, like what happened with me just today. You're a Tamer with your strong demon Honshou Wolf and with him being an Aria and Dragoon, an exorcist team like that can work quite well."

"But what if that's not true and maybe he already likes somebody else?" Ami asked me, slightly worried.

"Then you got your feelings through to him and you won't live in asking yourself for the rest of your like if he ever felt the same about you or not. It does sound easier said than done, but I woke up this morning not knowing that Yukio felt the same as I have too and so I can go to sleep right now at this moment looking forward to the next day knowing that I got my answer and that we'll be together from now on. It's a critical time to confess but it's all worth it in the end. If it's meant to be then you'll have the chance to be. Sometimes in life, you just have to take a risk, all because you only get to live once so you just need to make the most of it." I explained to her.

"Girl! Saying it like that, it makes me feel like I can just walk out that door and tell him!" Ami said with a laugh.

"What's stopping you?" I asked her sarcastically.

"For starters, just like you now said, you could go to sleep right now. Seriously, you've been out all day, you need some rest." Ami had remembered.

"Fine, you got me." I said with my hands up like in a surrender.

"It's well past midnight, how'd you even get back here without getting in trouble for being out so late on campus?" Ami questioned.

"I was just lucky to not have ran into anybody on the way back here... Plus, I asked if, you know, 'Mr. Okumura' could escort me back to my dorms. No biggie." I said with a wink after turning around to jump under the covers of my bed.

"No way! I just remembered! You're a sly fox, you're dating our teacher now!... Hmm, say, could you slide me the answers of the next exam? Studying is too much work and it's taking up my watching tv time." She added as a joke, now also having climbed into her bed across the room and already turned off the light.

"Nope! Study! I don't like it either, but it's a must." I said in the darkness which resulted in Ami giggling softly.

"Ami?" I started to ask.

"Yes?"

"Should I tell Bon that you want some private tutoring lessons?" I asked sarcastically which resulted in a pillow hitting my back.

"BLAH!" She answered.

I laughed and heard her laugh too after that.

"I didn't hear a no, so I should ask him?" I asked sarcastically again.

"Maybe I will?" Ami seemed to be asking more to herself.

After a moment of complete silence, I opened my eyes and said the last thing for the day.

"Good night, Awesomemazing Ami." I said.

"Good morning you mean? It's still past midnight. Okay, just kidding, you too, sleep well girly... And could you give me back my pillow? I need it, but it's too far."

Sitting up to pick the pillow off of the floor, I threw it back to Ami and laid back down under my solid blue covers.

"Ouch!... Thank you, Misaki. 'Night."

It didn't take long for sleep to take me over and I drifted away into a comfortable dream world.


End file.
